Thu | Feb. 22, 2018 | 2:30 PM

Greater aid is on the way for Albayanons who continuously bear the brunt of Mayon’s fury after the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) turned over a total of P35 million to the provincial government of Albay on February 21, 2018.

(first row) PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Andrea Domingo (2nd from right) and the members of the PAGCOR Board join Malacañang Political Adviser Secretary Francis Tolentino (middle), Governor Al Francis Bichara (extreme right), and the town mayors of (2nd row, from left) Guinobatan, Sto. Domingo, Ligao, Legazpi City, Camalig, Tabaco City, Bacacay, Malilipot and Daraga during the turnover of PAGCOR’s P35 million financial assistance to the towns in Albay which are affected by Mayon Volcano’s sporadic eruptions.

Said financial aid will be used to respond to the needs of locals whose livelihood and daily life were affected by Mayon’s restless volcanic activity.

Of the P35 million donation, P17 million, was turned-over to the office of Albay Governor Al Francis Bichara.  The financial grant shall be utilized for the construction of permanent evacuation centers and establishment of resettlement areas for those living in hazard-prone areas; temporary learning shelters for the affected students and toilets; purchasing of food potable water, medicines, tents for the evacuees; among other expenses such as fuel and transportation costs water and electricity.

Meanwhile, the remaining P18 million was allocated for the municipalities of Sto. Domingo (P2.5M), Malilipot (P2M), Bacacay (P1M), Tabaco City (P2M), Legazpi City (P1M), Daraga (P2.5M), Camalig (P2.5M), Guinobatan (P2.5M) and Ligao (P2M). The amount shall be used for the acquisition of food and non-food items for the residents who are still in the evacuation centers.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Andrea D. Domingo said one of the agency’s mandates is to allocate its earnings “to finance infrastructure and other high-impact socio-civic projects such as the restoration of damaged properties due to calamities.”

“We tried as much as we can to be able to give the checks immediately to help the displaced families in Albay. We are happy to help,” she said.

PAGCOR President and COO Alfredo Lim likewise shared that the agency immediately dispatched a team to Albay to conduct relief operations. “It’s a privilege to help our kababayans there,” he said.

Since January 21, 2018, PAGCOR has been conducting feeding programs for thousands of affected residents in the towns of Camalig, Guinobatan, Ligao, Daraga, Tabaco, Malilipot, Sto. Domingo, and Legazpi City.

PAGCOR also earlier donated relief packs to the evacuees as well as emergency kits, towelettes, gas masks, water containers, plastic pails, tents and fortified rice packs to the Albay Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office.

Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs and Mayon Volcano Crisis Manager Secretary Francis Tolentino, who was present during the turnover of checks, expressed his gratitude to PAGCOR for its unrelenting support to affected families.

“Malaking pasasalamat namin sa PAGCOR. Malaking tulong ito sa food and nutrient needs ng ating mga evacuees na ngayon ay hindi pa din makabalik sa kanilang mga tahanan dahil nakataas pa din ang Alert Level 4,” he said.

Albay Governor Al Francis Bichara was also grateful for the financial grant that they received. He said there were many residents who lost their livelihood and cannot yet go back to their homes. “Maraming pananim ang nasira. Pero marami namang nagdo-donate tulad ng PAGCOR. Nagpapasalamat kami sa binigay ninyong funding. Nauna pa dito, nagbigay din ang ahensya ng mga non-food items para sa mga evacuues,” he shared.

Go back